I woke up exactly at 5:15 AM, as precise as the day before. After completing my warm-up routine and changing into a neat outfit for an outdoor physical training session, I walked over and turned the doorknob.
The moment the oak door opened, an unexpected image struck my eyes.
Suzumiya Kanade was standing right outside my door, her hands lightly gripping the hem of her white apron, looking visibly flustered. It seemed she was torn between knocking to wake me up or continuing to wait outside.
The sound of the door hinges moving made her feline ears twitch. Kanade took a step back on reflex. However, her honed aristocratic demeanor helped her quickly regain her composure. It only took a brief second for her to adjust her breathing, lower her center of gravity, and execute an incredibly elegant bow.
"Greetings, Sir Zero." Her voice was soft. "I was just informed by Head Butler Sebastian. By the order of Eldest Lady Aiselin, from this moment on, I will assume the position of your personal maid."
Under the dim light of the corridor at dawn, I still managed to notice a slight change on the face of the person opposite me. Kanade's cheeks were slightly flushed. Clearly, being caught by me in a moment of hesitation and lack of preparedness had caused her some embarrassment.
"Good morning, Lady Kanade." I smiled slightly, taking a step back to yield space. "Please come inside for a moment. Physical training can be postponed; we have a few matters to align on before starting today's schedule."
Kanade looked slightly bashful, her feline ears drooping slightly, but she still cautiously stepped across the threshold. After closing the wooden door to ensure privacy, I gestured toward the velvet-cushioned chair next to the desk:
"Please, have a seat."
Immediately, Kanade shook her head, stepping back with a flustered expression. The tail behind her back swayed uncontrollably.
"Please do not do that, sir. Currently, I am merely a maid tasked with serving you. Sitting in front of a master is a severe violation of the code of conduct..."
"Lady Kanade." I spoke in the calmest and most accommodating tone possible. "Please recall what we discussed yesterday afternoon. From my perspective, or at least when it is only the two of us in this room, you are not a subordinate or a servant. You are an assistant, an academic partner, and a friend. An equal cooperative relationship cannot operate smoothly if one side constantly degrades their own position."
I looked straight into her eyes, maintaining a firm yet respectful attitude: "So, please sit down."
After a few seconds of silent struggle, seemingly realizing the absolute seriousness in my words, Kanade bit her lip and slowly approached the chair. Only when she sat down with a demure and proper posture did I pull out the other chair, place it neatly opposite her, and sit down at eye level.
I sat upright in my chair, directing a tranquil gaze toward the person opposite me. Kanade still seemed unaccustomed to this sudden shift in status. She kept her head slightly bowed, the tips of her feline ears drooping, and her cheeks retaining a blush that hadn't yet faded.
Breaking the silence with a polite smile, I spoke:
"Lady Kanade, Eldest Lady Aiselin has entrusted me with a heavy responsibility. That is to guide and train you in magical thinking, so you may continue pursuing your unfinished passion..."
Before I could convey the entire string of information, Kanade's lemon-green eyes suddenly lit up. She snapped her head up, her earlier timidity seemingly swept away by a surge of intense emotion.
"Did... did Lady Aiselin truly say that?"
But as soon as she realized her impulse had just broken basic communication rules, Kanade immediately flustered and lowered her head again. Her hands tightly gripped her apron, her voice shrinking timidly:
"I apologize for interrupting you, sir. It is just... I was too overwhelmed with excitement."
"It is alright." I waved my hand slightly, maintaining a warm tone to relieve her tension. "That is a completely understandable reaction."
Waiting for Kanade's breathing to stabilize, I articulated clearly:
"To ensure efficiency, we will need to establish a clear training curriculum for you. At the same time, because you will also assist me in... managing the living space," I deliberately chose a neutral phrase, tactfully avoiding the imposition of the term 'maid', "we also need to agree on a specific daily schedule. This will prevent tasks from overlapping and optimize both our time budgets."
After a brief, straight-to-the-point exchange, Kanade and I quickly agreed upon a shared daily schedule. By synchronizing her cleaning routine with my self-study and physical training time, we created an optimal operational framework, completely eliminating any dead time during the day.
Once the time management issue was settled, I immediately shifted to the next important objective.
"Now, let us discuss your training curriculum, Lady Kanade." I spoke softly, recapturing the attention that was now clearly displaying excitement on the Feline maid's face. "Before designing any roadmap, I need an entrance exam to accurately determine your current capability level."
Hearing the mention of an exam, Kanade's feline ears twitched slightly. Curiosity was evident in her intent gaze.
"An entrance exam, sir? Will it be a theoretical test on the elemental systems, or do you need me to cast a few basic incantations right here?"
I shook my head slightly, interlacing my fingers and placing them on the table, maintaining my usual composed demeanor.
"Theory is only half of the system. To obtain the most accurate data record of your mana structure, I need a practical test." I narrowed my eyes slightly, delivering a carefully calculated decision. "Please spar with me."
Kanade froze, her eyes wide with shock.
"Sir Zero, I absolutely mean no offense to you." Kanade hesitated, carefully choosing each word. "But your background is that of a commoner, while I bear a noble bloodline. The capacity of my mana core is many times larger than yours. Furthermore, you only just began accessing one-star magic yesterday, whereas I have long mastered the basic techniques. I fear that if we truly engage in a sparring match, you will face an incredibly high risk of injury."
I nodded slightly, offering a polite smile to acknowledge her sincerity and accurate situational analysis.
"You need not worry. Your assessments are completely correct." I replied calmly, maintaining a leisurely demeanor. "If we consider the basic parameters, all current conditions point to an absolute disadvantage on my side. However, I also have my own solutions to bridge that gap. It is just that... my method of execution might not be very 'noble'."
Seeing Kanade's feline ears perk up slightly out of curiosity mixed with bewilderment, I slowly presented further reasons to convince her:
"At the same time, this test brings me two major benefits. First, I have an immense desire to directly observe how noble mages engage in real combat and handle situations. That is an invaluable source of practical data that no book in the library can provide. And second, equally important, I want to use this opportunity to test my own capability limits and the effectiveness of my tactical plans."
Kanade pursed her lips, hesitation still lingering in her lemon-green eyes. But facing my absolute determination and tranquility, she could only sigh softly and nod in agreement.
We left the room together, heading toward Eldest Lady Aiselin's private training area. The space here was utterly deserted. Under the strict control of the estate's master, this entire area had been cordoned off; not a single shadow of a butler or servant was permitted to loiter around. A perfect and absolutely secure environment for the trials I was about to conduct.
While walking briskly along the marble corridor, Kanade suddenly spoke up, her pace slowing slightly.
"Sir Zero... I have a small request. Please, from now on, do not call me 'Lady' anymore."
I paused slightly, turning to look at her with an inquiring gaze. Kanade clasped her hands together, her voice somewhat shy but extremely clear:
"To be honest, initially when I heard you use that title, a part of me felt very happy that someone still respected my background. But currently, I am no longer a noble; being addressed by you in that way makes me feel unaccustomed and a bit awkward. More importantly..." She looked up at me, her Feline ears drooping slightly. "If you form this habit, the risk of a slip of the tongue when others are around will increase significantly, and that could directly expose my safe cover."
Kanade's analysis was like a warning signal flashing red in my train of thought. Indeed, in my effort to establish respect and maintain an equal relationship, I had overlooked a very basic risk variable in terms of security.
I immediately stopped, turned around, and bowed to apologize in an extremely serious manner.
"Your analysis is very accurate, Kanade. This is entirely a severe oversight in my cognitive process. Putting your safety at risk just for a title is unacceptable. I sincerely apologize."
Seeing me bow unexpectedly, Kanade instantly flustered and waved her hands, her coral-orange tail swaying in disarray.
"No, it is fine, sir. I only wanted to remind us to be more careful; you absolutely do not need to formally apologize like this."
I looked up, smiling in relief. Her sharpness truly made me feel more reassured about this partner.
After that minor incident, the final boundary wall between the two of us seemed to have been dismantled. The atmosphere became much more natural and relaxed. We continued strolling, occasionally exchanging a few cheerful words comfortably.
The conversation lasted until our footsteps halted before a heavy steel door carved with complex sealing matrices. Eldest Lady Aiselin's private training ground appeared before our eyes. My first empirical test in this world officially began.
End of Chapter 15.